My Culinary Odyssey: Prestonsburg, Part 1

    When I was very young, I seemed to go to Prestonsburg quite frequently. When my mom got a job there, though, the trips were not as common, as she didn't want to go back there is often when she didn't need to. Trips there became even less frequent after I opened my store, Booknotes, in Pikeville.  Still, I manage to eat out in P-burg every now and then.  Today's post is the first for the town, covering the western outskirts of the city along US 23. Check the introduction for this series here for the explanation of how the post is organized.  Let's go!

• McDonald's, original Prestonsburg location, DI:  There is a very strong chance that this was the first ever McDonald's I ever ate at, and that was when I was in high school.  Probably my junior year, less possibly sophomore year. I was in band,  and we stopped here after playing at a tournament game.  My mom was a chaperone.  I just had fries.  (Admittedly, this stop could have been at another McDonald's in the Pikeville area, but it seems unlikely, and my memory suggests sitting in an orientation that most resembles the Prestonsburg locale.) I would stop there again my senior year.  Twice in the same day on a field trip to Morehead.  I stayed in the bus that morning, but I got out that evening when the others had an impromptu dance session. Yes, I did dance.  I would later stop there with my mom on occasion before some shopping trips.  Once, for a birthday trip in 98, I was in the car that morning watching lightning flash across the sky.  I didn't tell her about the storms until we got into Magoffin county after seeing hail covering the road in two separate stretches. I convinced her to continue on to Lexington. The rain held off the rest of the day, and it turned out to be one of the better birthday trips I had.  The restaurant would have some remodeling over the years, but I haven't been in there since.  We haven't stopped there for my mom for quite some time though.
• Little Caesar's, TO:  Back in the early 90s, I was on a kick for trying new foods.  I would go out of my way to try a new food, new recipe, or a new restaurant, at least once per week for a month.  Sometimes, I would manage to do so for each day for an entire week. One of these places was here. My mom picked up a pizza for dinner.  That's basically all I can recall about it.  I don't think I really liked it. (Years later, I would also try the Papa John's, but I barely can recall it either.  I could have sworn I also had Domino's here, but there doesn't seem to be one in Prestonsburg.)
• Reno's Roadhouse, TO/DI:  My mom would frequently have business lunches here, back in the day.  In the late 80s, she may have brought home some petals from their version of a "Blooming Onion," however, hours old fried food doesn't always taste that good. I would end up going here for the strangest of reasons.  I had won a scholarship, and there was a dinner at Reno's for the winners. It was a few days after I graduated high school. Beforehand, we stopped at Walmart where I bought my first ever CD for my new player that I got for graduation. (Paula Abdul remixes. I know.) I didn't like the ambiance of the place.  I don't remember eating anything. I had to go back the following year to see the honors given out to a new group of winners.  This was a few weeks after the end of my first year of college.  Don't remember ordering anything then either. I don't remember exactly when, but Reno's would close.  Ultimately, the building became a pawn shop.  What it was between those two points, check the next entry for a possibility.
• Fazzoli's, TO: When Fazzoli's opened in Prestonsburg, it felt like a kind of big deal. Soon after it opened, mom bought some take out for dinner. At least one of the things was pasta, which could not be reheated adequately. I ended up not liking it that much.  There may have been a pizza as well, but I don't remember much about it either.  I always thought we should have tried the place again, but it never happened before it closed.  Now, I strongly think it took over Reno's old place, but that feels too big for the restaurant.  On the other hand, there is no other building in that area where it could have been, unless it was completely torn down. Honestly, I can't even remember when it was in operation.
• Rax, probably DI:  I barely remember this place. In fact, my mom thought it may have been Arby's instead, but we are fairly sure it was Rax. I remember stopping there once when I was a kid and being the one to open the door, but that was all.  Not sure what I ate there, if anything, since this would have been in the middle of my picky eater stage. I do remember that it wasn't there long.  The place was closed and torn down as part of the expansion of US 23. I believe in was close to where the star pattern is now, between the various ramps.  There would have been just enough room for a restaurant there, maybe, but not enough for parking as well. It was right across the highway from Glenview Plaza. (While there have been various place to eat there, I don't think I tired any of them.)

    I'll stop here for today's post.  Tune in Saturday for a special bonus post as I continue through town, starting at the south/eastern end of Prestonsburg and work my way north.  See you then.